Smith College is a historic liberal arts college in Northampton, Massachusetts and a founding member of the Seven Sisters. As the only women's college in the U.S. with an ABET-accredited engineering program — and with a student body that includes cis and trans women and nonbinary applicants assigned female at birth — Smith combines an unusually strong sciences and engineering profile for a LAC with deep traditions in art, government, and literature.
Mascot: Bear
Notable Alumni
Gloria Steinem (Ms. magazine founder and feminist icon)•Julia Child (legendary chef and TV personality)•Sylvia Plath (Pulitzer-winning poet and novelist)
At a Glance
Cost
Published sticker prices for 2025-2026. Actual cost after aid varies.
Top Programs & National Ranking
Approximate national ranking based on departmental rankings, research output, and program reputation.
Highlights
Athletics
Campus Experience
Smith admits cis women, trans women, and nonbinary applicants who were assigned female at birth — the student body is openly queer-friendly, politically engaged, and proud of its feminist lineage. There is no Greek life; the social world revolves around the 36 self-governing houses (Smith's alternative to dorms), the Five College Consortium shuttle to Amherst/UMass/Mount Holyoke/Hampshire, and downtown Northampton's bars, bookstores, and music venues. Academics are rigorous but the culture is collaborative rather than cutthroat, and the house system creates unusually close friendships across class years.
A Frederick Law Olmsted-designed campus arranged around Paradise Pond, doubling as the 127-acre Botanic Garden of Smith College with the landmark Lyman Conservatory, specimen trees from the original 1893 plan, and ivy-covered brick and stone houses. Consistently cited as one of the most beautiful campuses in America.
Based on Niche reviews, Princeton Review surveys, student forums, and institutional data.
Safety
Smith's Campus Safety operates 24/7 with blue-light phones, late-night shuttle service, and electronic dorm access. Very low violent crime, with most incidents being alcohol-related disciplinary referrals.
Northampton is a safe, vibrant Western Mass city known for its progressive politics, arts scene, and walkability. Property crime rates are slightly elevated versus rural New England but violent crime is well below national averages.
Based on Clery Act data, student surveys, and local crime statistics.
Plan Your Visit
Schedule: Weekdays during the academic year, with select Saturday dates in fall. Group visits and virtual sessions also offered.
Duration: ~2 hours total (info session + student-led campus tour)
Sessions depart from the Office of Admission at 7 College Lane. Smith offers overnight visits, class visits, and the Discovery Weekend program for prospective students each fall. Interviews are optional but encouraged.
Book a TourSelf-guided walking tour map available at the Office of Admission or online. The Botanic Garden, Lyman Conservatory, and Smith College Museum of Art are all free and open to the public year-round.
Tour ResourcesLate September through mid-October for peak Pioneer Valley fall foliage, Mountain Day energy, and full campus activity. Late April is also stunning as the Botanic Garden blooms and Ivy Day (the day before Commencement, seniors in white with roses) takes over campus. Avoid January-February (cold, gray) and summer when Smith is quiet.
Visitor parking at the Office of Admission lot on College Lane, plus the West Street Parking Garage for overflow. Bradley International Airport (BDL) is 45 minutes south in Connecticut; Boston Logan is ~2 hours east. Amtrak Vermonter stops at Northampton station (10-minute walk to campus) with service from NYC and D.C. Peter Pan and Greyhound buses also serve Northampton. The PVTA bus runs free Five College Consortium shuttles to Amherst, Mount Holyoke, Hampshire, and UMass.
Location
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